Chapter 36
Alex
As I see the ladder fall, I feel raw fear seize me. Fear that this bastard I trusted, who was my assistant for so long, will hurt the woman I love.
The moment I got here and saw Beth standing on the ladder, I had a bad feeling. I knew I’d do anything to save her. Anything. That’s why I signed that insane paper Eric tossed at me. It said I’d assign the rights to build the mall across from Beth’s shop to Jake’s company and waive them for life.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. I have enough money and could build another mall somewhere else and buy Beth as many stores as she wanted. But that would only be possible if there was still a Beth.
I never would have expected him to cross that line and actually shove the ladder once I gave in to his demand. But apparently I hardly knew Eric, whose face twists into an ugly mask, and he seems to take particular delight in watching the ladder—and Beth, screaming—fall.
When the ladder finally lands in the bushes, silence falls. Not a sound from Beth, and raw terror grips me again. What if she...
"No," I bellow. "Beth? Can you hear me? Are you hurt? Are you okay?" I ask, and I run toward where she must be lying, fighting to block out the images in my head telling me it’s too late, that I’ve lost her and she...
"It’s too late. You lost. Your mall, your woman, and..." Eric says as I run past him.
"Shut the hell up," I snap, spin around, and drop him with a wild punch. I don’t wait to see him fall, but I hear the dull thud as his unconscious body hits the ground. Yet I feel no satisfaction, only fear for Beth.
"Beth?" I call again when I reach the bushes the ladder crashed into.
"Alex?" I hear a faint call.
That’s Beth! That’s her voice! She’s alive! I could cry with relief.
"Beth? Where are you? Are you okay? I can’t believe what that bastard did to you, I..."
To my surprise, it’s Beth who fights her way through the thicket of the oversized bush I’d been meaning to have removed because it looks like a giant ball and the gardener charges an outrageous amount every time he trims the beast. Apparently the thing broke her fall and, at first glance, left only a few scrapes.
I will never say a bad word about that plant again.
Beth is holding something in her hand. At first I don’t recognize it, but then the little ball of fluff hops down, pads over to me, and sits by my feet. "Cutie?" I ask, astonished.
"Was in that giant bush," Beth says a little weakly as she stops in front of me. I can’t help it. I run to her and pull her into my arms. To my sweet relief, I feel her hands on my back too.
"I was so scared for you," I whisper, not wanting to let her go, and I look deep into her eyes.
"For me?" Beth asks. "I thought you... you wanted to ruin me?"
"That was all Eric. My ex-assistant. I only found out recently. He works for Jake. He was behind the termination, and the eviction was his doing, too. I don’t know how I could have been so blind."
"Is he still here?" Beth asks then.
"I took care of him," I say, nodding toward the body on the ground, and Beth nods, reassured.
"Oh, Beth, I’m so sorry. Everything went so terribly wrong. I just wanted to... hey, what’s wrong?" I ask, worried, when I notice Beth holding her head.
"Nothing, just a headache," she says as I help her and ease her into the grass. Cutie seems to sense Beth isn’t feeling well and sits right next to her, and Beth starts to pet her.
"I’m calling an ambulance."
"No, no need, I’m fine. Great cat. Is she yours? What was that..." Beth trails off and presses her hand to her forehead again.
"Please, Beth. Maybe you didn’t break anything, but you might have a concussion. I’d really like someone to check you out."
"It’s just the shock. I’m fine," she says again, then reaches for her head once more and looks at me. "Okay. Maybe you’re right."
"Thank you," I murmur in relief.
I call 911 for an ambulance and the police.
They arrive at the same time, and I describe what happened.
The paramedics take care of Beth and want to take her to the hospital.
I want to ride along, but since we’re not related or married, that isn’t possible.
So I decide to follow right away after I’ve explained to the officers everything about Eric and his double game, and how my competitor is involved—what you’d generally call industrial espionage.
The patrol cops seem a bit overwhelmed, but they take Eric in—he’d come to with a bloody nose just before they arrived—on suspicion of attempted homicide.
Apparently that’s enough for now to haul him off in cuffs.
As the ambulance pulls away, I take care of Cutie, who’s waited by my side the whole time, and then I have only one destination: Beth!
******
"Just a mild concussion, the doctors said. I can go home tomorrow," I hear Beth say as I enter the room the nurse told me about. Traffic was hell; it took me forever, I couldn’t think straight, and I kept picturing what might be wrong with Beth. Hearing that diagnosis is a true relief.
"I’m so glad to hear that, Beth," I say, walk toward her, start to hug her, then stop when I see the words weren’t meant for me but for Veronica, who’s already here with her son.
"I’ll wait outside for a minute," Veronica says, stands up, walks past me, and winks as she closes the door.
"Beth!" I whisper, taking in the sight of her sitting at the small table in front of her bed, our son in her arms.
"Can I... can I hold him?" I ask carefully.
"Of course," Beth says, getting up and coming toward me. Her eyes sparkle, and she looks beautiful even in that hospital gown.
"Here. You know how to do this? One arm under his head, one arm... hey, that’s perfect," Beth says as she hands me the little guy, who looks at me curiously, and warmth spreads through my whole body and I’m almost certain this must be love at first sight. Just like with his mom.
"This is your daddy, Ben," Beth says, brushing away a silent tear.
"What a beautiful name," I say in a thin voice, feeling tears prick my eyes too.
"Oh, Beth. Everything went so horribly wrong. Right from the start. Back when Dilara threw you out. So much time was stolen from us. And then I was such an idiot and didn’t say clearly that I was interested in your shop. But I..."
Ben fusses, and I look down, uncertain, at my son, my own flesh and blood. "Hey, what’s wrong with him?" I ask, uneasy, and look to Beth, who smiles at me.
"It’s okay. He doesn’t know you that well yet. That’s normal. Can I?" she asks, and when she takes the little man back, he settles right away. It hurts, even though I know she’s right. And I know I want to change that—for good. I don’t want to be a stranger to my son. Not ever again.
"Where was I? Right: When I saw you, I just wanted to ask you out. I was going to tell you then. But somehow..."
Ben fusses again, but settles right away.
"...something always got in the way?" Beth asks.
"Exactly. And then there was the whole thing with Jake and Eric and your termination and the eviction. That must have made me look like I was..."
"...a gigantic asshole," Beth supplies.
"Exactly. And I get it if that’s what you think, and I..."
"I could have told you we have a son, too," Beth says. "I’m no better. Hey, what did you actually sign with your assistant?" she asks, changing the subject.
"Ex-assistant. I fired him before I came to you and we ended up in the hospital because of Ben," I begin, pausing for a beat. "It was an assignment of rights for the mall. Jake gets to build the thing now."
"You did what?" she asks, staring at me, dumbfounded.
"Beth. This was about you. I’d never want anything to happen to you. I’d do anything, because... I love you, Beth!"
For a moment we just look at each other. Then I dare it: I move toward her and kiss her. Her lips taste even more wonderful than I remembered; I never want to...
"Da-da-da," comes the babble between us, and we break off the kiss and have to laugh.
"Hey, did you say Dada, Ben?" I ask him, playing with his tiny fingers. "Dada’s here now, and if Mama wants it, then..." This time I look at Beth. "Then he’s not going anywhere."
This time it’s Beth who kisses me. And that kiss is sensual, full of affection, full of promises and love, and it needs no more words.
When we come up for air, it’s Beth who speaks: "I love you too."
Forehead to forehead, we just stand there holding each other, looking at Ben, savoring this time as a family. For the first time, it feels as if my life is truly complete.
"Hey, I’m heading to the gift shop, do you want anything... oh... sorry..." Veronica says, sticking her head through the door and then immediately backing out again, and Beth and I grin at each other.
"She helped me find you. Without her, I wouldn’t have gotten here in time," I say, nodding toward the door.
"She wasn’t supposed to give anything away," Beth says with mock defiance.
"I had some good arguments," I reply with a smile.
"Yeah? Like what? Your playboy charm?" Beth asks, poking me in the chest.
"If you really want to know, it was this," I say, pulling the white envelope from my blazer, opening it, and holding the documents out to Beth.
"Oh, Alex. Is that...?" she says after a few seconds of silence.
"Exactly. That’s a purchase agreement for the building your shop and apartment are in.
Your landlord and I still have to go to the notary, but this preliminary contract is airtight.
I’ve signed plenty like it. And the second is a lifetime, rent-free right of residence and use for you—for both.
So even if you decide you don’t want me anymore. .."
The rest of the sentence disappears into a stormy kiss that tells me I shouldn’t worry about that scenario.
"But..." Beth begins when she pulls back. "The mall. There will be a flower shop there for sure. Doesn’t that doom me anyway?" She looks a little crestfallen.
"I wouldn’t be so sure. Eric blackmailed me, plain and simple. It might take a while for a court to unwind all that, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t come to that."
"But you still want to build the mall. Why, anyway?"
"I wanted to put up ads for your shop in it. There won’t be a flower shop in my mall. The best flower shop in the city is right across the street."
"That’s crazy, Alex."
"Maybe. But I’m crazy about you... about both of you."
We kiss again, and this time I’m certain nothing and no one will ever tear us apart. Not ever. This is forever, and I won’t let any secret—or anything else—come between us.